Shared edit access of electronic content

ABSTRACT

In various embodiments, a computerized method includes presenting an electronic document to one user out of multiple users that have edit access to the electronic document as part of a collaborative editing of the electronic document. The computerized method may include receiving an input from the user to edit the electronic document, as well as invoking a lock to prevent edit access by the other users responsive to receiving the input from the user to edit the electronic document.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/081,236, filed Apr. 6, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,290,902, issued Oct.16, 2012, and entitled “Shared Edit Access of Electronic Content,” whichis a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/119,335, filed May 12,2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,949,633 issued May 24, 2011, of which bothapplications are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

COPYRIGHT

A portion of the disclosure of this document contains material that issubject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection tothe facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or thepatent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Officepatent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever. The following notice applies to the software, data, and/orscreenshots which may be described below and in the drawings that form apart of this document: Copyright 2008, Adobe® Systems Incorporated. AllRights Reserved.

BACKGROUND

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are notnecessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued.Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches describedin this section are not prior art to the claims in this application andare not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

In a collaborative content creation and review environment, content(e.g., an electronic document) may be stored in a server for access(e.g., edit, read, review, etc.) by multiple users using differentclient devices. In particular, the server may be communicatively coupledto the client devices to enable access by the users. In such anapplication, users may edit a same electronic content at substantiallythe same time, or at different times.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments are provided by way of example and not limitation in thefigures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicatesimilar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a collaborative environment for sharededit access of electronic content, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for editing of electronic content in acollaborative environment, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 3 shows a screenshot of content being edited by one user out ofmultiple users having edit access, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 4 shows another screenshot of content being edited by one user outof multiple users having edit access, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a method for controlling editing of electroniccontent by a content server in a collaborative environment, according tosome example embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a method for limiting edit access of electroniccontent by one user because another user currently has made unsavededits to the electronic content, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 7 shows a screenshot of locked electronic content during an attemptto edit the content by one user out of multiple users having editaccess, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a computer that may be used for editing content andcontrolling content editing in a collaborative environment, according tosome example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Methods, apparatus and systems tier shared edit access of content in acollaborative environment are described. In the following description,numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood thatembodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, structures and techniques have not beenshown in detail in order not to Obscure the understanding of thisdescription.

As used herein, the term “content” or “electronic content” may compriseany type of content for use in electronic form. Examples of content maycomprise Portable Document Format (“PDF”) which may be viewed andmodified in one of the Adobe® Acrobat® programs, a web page, a wordprocessing document (such as a Microsoft® Word document), a spread sheetdocument, page-descriptive electronic content, hypertext document, amarkup language document, declarative specification document (such asfor example a HyperText Markup Language HTML or eXtensible MarkupLanguage (XML) document), a finable form or data describing applicationgraphical user interface, etc.

Some example embodiments are performed in a collaborative environment,wherein multiple users may access (e.g., edit, read, review, etc.)content. In particular, the content may be stored in a server. The usersmay access the content over a network using different client devices.Example embodiments enable shared edit access of content in such anenvironment. In particular, multiple users may edit the content.

In some example embodiments, a user locks the content to prevent otherusers from editing the content after the user performs content editing.In some example embodiments, the lock to prevent edit access remainsuntil the edited content is saved. The saving of the content may beinvoked by the user that performed the editing activity. Alternativelyor in addition, the saving of the content may be invoked by theapplication (used to edit the content) after a given time period hasexpired since the edit has occurred. After the edited content has beensaved, any of the users having edit access may edit the content. Onceanother edit has been performed by any one of the users, the content isagain locked. The user that edited the content now has control andprecludes other users from editing the content until the edits aresaved. Accordingly, users are not required to explicitlycheck-out/check-in the content each time they are going to edit thecontent. In some example embodiments, the locking of the content forediting is integrated into editing/saving operations. Thus, some exampleembodiments provide more transparent and easier shared edit access forthe multiple users.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a collaborative environment for sharededit access of electronic content, according to some exampleembodiments. A system 100 comprises a server computer system 108 andclient computer systems 102A-102N that are couple together through anetwork 106.

The server computer system 108 comprises a collaborative control module110 (hereinafter “the control module 110”) and is coupled to amachine-readable medium 112 (which may be or may not be part of theserver computer system 108). In some example embodiments, themachine-readable medium includes tangible volatile and/or non-volatilemedia (e.g., read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM),magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memorydevices, etc.). The machine-readable medium 112 may store content 114that may be shared by multiple users, particular, multiple users mayaccess (edit, read, review, etc.) the same content 114. For example morethan one user (using one or more client computer systems 102) may editthe same electronic document forming a part of the electronic content114 that is stored in the machine-readable medium 112.

The client computer systems 102A-102N comprise collaborative contentapplication module 104A-104N (hereinafter “application modules 104”),respectively. The application modules 104 and the control module 110 maybe software, hardware, firmware or a combination thereof for executingthe various operations described herein, according to some exampleembodiments.

As part of multiple users having edit access to the same content 114, afirst user may edit the content 114 using the application module 104A,and a second user may edit the same content 114 using the applicationmodule 104N at a different time. For example, the application modules104 may comprise a type of word processor application for editingelectronic documents. The application modules 104 may retrieve a copy ofthe content 114 from the server computer system 108 and make edits tosuch content 114. As further described below, after a first user edits(using the application module 104) a particular portion of the content114, that portion of the content 114 is locked from being editing byother users until it is saved onto the machine-readable medium 112.

The system 100 may comprise any number of client computer systems 102.While the control module 110 and the content 114 are described asforming part of the same server, many embodiments are not so limited.Alternatively or in addition, the content 114 and the control module 110may be distributed across any number of network storage devices/servers.

In some embodiments, operations may be executed in a peer-to-peerarchitecture. The network communication may occur as part of anycombination of wired and wireless communication. In some embodiments,network communication may be based on one or more communicationprotocols (e.g., HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HTTP Secured(HTTPS), Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real Time MessagingProtocol Secured/SSL (RTMPS), etc.). While the system 100 shown in FIG.1 employs a client-server architecture, embodiments are not limited tosuch an architecture, and could equally well find application in adistributed, or peer-to-peer, architecture system.

Operations, according to example embodiments, are now described. Incertain embodiments, the operations are performed when instructionsresiding on machine-readable media (e.g., software) are executed, whilein other embodiments, the methods are performed by hardware or otherlogic (e.g., digital logic). FIGS. 2, 5 and 7 are diagrams of methodsfor editing and controlling of editing in a collaborative environment,according to some example embodiments. In particular, FIG. 2 illustratesoperations from the perspective of the application module 104 that isable to lock content in response to an edit, according to some exampleembodiments. FIG. 5 illustrates operations from the perspective of thecontrol module 110, according to some example embodiments. FIG. 7illustrates operations from the perspective of the application module104 that is not able to lock the content in response to an edit,according to some example embodiments.

Accordingly, FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for editing of electroniccontent in a collaborative environment, according to some exampleembodiments. A method 200 is described with reference to FIG. 1. In someexample embodiments, the method 200 is performed by the applicationmodule 104. The method 200 commences at block 202.

At block 202, the application module 104 presents content 114 to one ormore users out of multiple users that have edit access to the content.In some example embodiments, the application module 104 may present aspecific type of content 114 (e.g., an electronic document) to the userafter the user selects the content 114 for editing, The applicationmodule 104 may request and receive the content 114 from the controlmodule 110 on the server computer system 108. The application module 104may present the content 114 to the user using some type of display. FIG.3 shows a screenshot of content being edited by one user out of multipleusers having edit access, according to some example embodiments. Ascreenshot 300 illustrates a word processing application 302 wherein anelectronic document 304 is being edited. At the bottom of the screenshot300, a list of users is shown that have access to the electronicdocument 304. A user identification 306 and a user identification 308include the identification of a user, their role and the status of theircurrent access of the electronic document 304.

For example, the user identification 306 identifies a user #1 that hasan author role (which enables user #1 to edit the electronic document304). The user identification 306 also indicates that the current accessstatus is “viewing” for user #1. Accordingly, user #1 is currentlyviewing but not editing the electronic document 304. The useridentification 308 identifies a user #2 that has an author role (whichenables user #2 to edit the electronic document 304). The useridentification 308 also indicates that the current access status is“viewing” for user #2. Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen thatthe method 200 may continue at block 204.

At block 204, the application module 104 receives input from the userindicating a desire to edit the content 114. The input may be from akeyboard, mouse, microphone, etc. that causes changes in the content114. The application module 104 may update the local copy of the content114 that is being stored in some type of machine-readable medium (notshown) on the client computer system 102. For example, the updates maybe made to a copy of the content 114 stored in random access memory. Theapplication module 104 may also update any display of the content 114.FIG. 4 shows another screenshot of content being edited by one user outof multiple users having edit access, according to some exampleembodiments. A screenshot 400 illustrates a word processing application402 wherein an electronic document 404 is being edited. In particular,the screenshot 400 is similar to the screenshot 300 of FIG. 3. However,the screenshot 400 illustrates the access status view after one of theusers has begun editing the electronic document 404. These samescreenshots may be displayed at the different client devices where theusers are accessing the electronic document. Accordingly, differentusers may know which users among those that have access privileges areaccessing the electronic document, the role of those that have access,which (if any) of the users is editing the electronic document, etc.Thus, at the bottom of the screenshot 400, a list of users is shown thathave access to the electronic document 404. A user identification 406 issimilar to the user identification 306 of FIG. 3. A user identification408 is similar to the user identification 308 of FIG. 3 (except that thecurrent access status for user #2 has changed to “editing”),Accordingly, user #2 is editing the electronic document 404, therebyprecluding user #1 from editing (as further described below). Thus, theuser identification 408 includes notification to user #1 that user #2has made edits to the electronic content that has not been saved in themachine-readable medium 112 in the server computer system 108.

Returning to the description of block 204 of FIG. 2, in some exampleembodiments, edits to the content 114 are not transmitted to the servercomputer system 108 until the content 114 is saved (as further describedbelow). The method continues at block 206.

At block 206, the application module 104 transmits a lock command (tolock the content 114) to the server computer system 108, in response toediting of the content 114. As further described below, the lock commandprecludes other users from editing the same content 114. In somesituations, two users may be attempting edits at approximately the sametime. Accordingly, one user will be able to lock the content 114, whilethe second user is locked out. Thus, the second user has made edits tocontent 114 that has been locked from edit access.

In some example embodiments, the application module 104 for the seconduser may process these edits that occur at different times differently(depending on the amount time that has expired between when the editoccurred and when the attempted lock command is transmitted to theserver computer system 108). For example, if the amount of time that hasexpired is less than a given time period (e.g., 10 seconds, 20 seconds,30 seconds, 1 minute, etc.), the application module 104 can display anerror message to the second user and the edits made by the second userare discarded. If the amount of time that has expired is greater thanthe given time period, the application module 104 provides an option tothe second user to save the content 114 under a different name (thuscreating separately saved content 114 within the server computer system108).

This preclusion of editing (caused by the lock command) remains untilthe edits that have already been entered are saved at the servercomputer system 108. Accordingly, locking occurs in response to an editaction that remains unsaved. There is no requirement that the userperform an explicit check-out of the content 114 in order to ensure thatother users are precluded from editing the content 114. The method 200continues at block 208.

At block 208, the application module 104 saves the content 114 to theserver computer system 108. In some example embodiments, the applicationmodule 104 saves the content 114 in the machine-readable medium 112 atthe server computer system 108. The application module 104 may transmitunsaved edits to the server computer system 108 via any type ofcommunication (as described above). In some example embodiments, thesave activity may be in response to a user-invoked save action, or anapplication-invoked save action. In particular, saving the content 114may be invoked by input from a user that is editing the content 114.Alternatively or in addition, the application module 104 mayperiodically perform a save e.g., an auto-save). In some exampleembodiments, the application module 104 may save the content 114(independent of user input) after a time period (that starts after anedit has occurred) during which there is no user activity relative tothe content 114. For example, user activity may comprise editing data,movement of a cursor through the content 114, etc. In some exampleembodiments, this time period may be 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45,seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, etc. Alternatively or in addition, theapplication module 104 may save the content 114 (independent of userinput) after a time period (that starts after an edit has occurred) evenif there is user activity relative to the content 114. in some exampleembodiments, this time period may be 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc. The method 200 continues at block210.

At block 210, the application module 104 receives confirmation of thesaving of the content 114 (at the server computer system 108) from theserver computer system 108. In particular, if the edits to the content114 are saved by the control module 110 in the machine-readable medium112, the control module 110 transmits a confirmation back to the clientcomputer system 102. The method 200 continues at block 212.

At block 212, the application module 104 transmits a release command (torelease the lock of the content 114) to the server computer system 108.The release command is transmitted to the server computer system 108 toenable other users having edit access to edit this particular content114. As further described below, the control module 110 transmits arelease command to other client devices that are accessing thisparticular content 114. Accordingly, the application modules on theseother client computer systems may then enable editing of the content 114by other users. The method 200 is complete.

The operations, according to some example embodiments, of the controlmodule 110 at the server computer system 108 are now described. Inparticular, FIG. 5 is a diagram of a method for controlling editing ofelectronic content 114 by a server in a collaborative environment,according to some example embodiments. A method 500 is described withreference to FIG. 1. In some example embodiments, the method 500 isperformed by the control module 110 executing on the server computersystem 108. The method 500 commences at block 502.

At block 502, the control module 110 receives a request, from a firstclient computer system 102, to edit content 114 by one user out ofmultiple users that have edit access to the content 114. The request maycome from the application module 104 for the client computer system 102that is being used to edit the content 114. In some example embodiments,the request may be a result of a user opening the content 114 using theapplication module 104. The method 500 continues at block 504.

At block 504, the control module 110 transmits the content 114 to thefirst client computer system 102. The control module 110 may retrieve acopy of the content 114 from the machine-readable medium 112 fortransmission to the first client computer system 102. The method 500continues at block 506.

At block 506, the control module 110 receives a lock command from thefirst client computer system 102 (to lock the content 114) from editaccess by others of the multiple users. In some example embodiments, thelock command is received from the application module 104 in response tothe first user editing the particular content 114 (as described above).The method 500 continues at block 508.

At block 508, the control module 110 transmits a lock command to otherclient computer systems 102 being used by other users. The lock commandprovides notification that the content 114 is currently locked from editaccess. In some example embodiments, the control module 110 onlytransmits the lock command to the client computer systems 102 where thecontent 114 is currently being accessed. As further described below, theapplication modules 104 executing on these other client computer systems102 prevent the users from editing the content 114 after the lockcommand is received. The method 500 continues at block 510.

At block 510, the control module 110 saves edits to the content 114 atthe server computer system 108. In some example embodiments, a savecommand may be received from the client computer system 102 that isbeing used to edit the content 114. As described above, the save commandmay be in response to user-invoked or application-invoked save activity.The control module 110 may save the edits for this content 114 into themachine-readable medium 112. The method 500 continues at block 512.

At block 512, the control module 110 transmits confirmation of savingthe content 114 at the server computer system 108. In particular, thecontrol module 110 may transmit the confirmation back to the clientcomputer system 102 from which the save command was received. The method500 continues at block 514.

At block 514, the control module 110 receives a release command (torelease the lock on the content 114). The release command may bereceived from the application module 104 that is executing on the clientcomputer system 102 that saved the content 114. In some exampleembodiments, the release command enables other users to edit thisparticular content 114. The method 500 continues at block 516.

At block 516, the control module 110 transmits a release command to theother client computer systems 102 being used by other users having editaccess with respect to the content 114. The release command providesnotification that the content 114 (that was previously locked) can nowbe edited by the other users. In some example embodiments, the controlmodule 110 only transmits to the client computer systems 102 wherein thecontent 114 is currently being accessed. As further described below, theapplication modules 104 executing on these other client computer systems102 then allow the users to edit this particular content 114 after therelease command is received.

In some example embodiments, the control module 110 may also transmit arelease command to the other client computer systems 102 if there is acommunication loss with the client computer system 102 that has lockedthe content 114. In particular, the control module 110 may exchangeping-type communications with the client computer system 102. If thiscommunication ceases beyond a given period of time (e.g., 1 minute, 2minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc.), the control module 110 mayrelease any locks currently in force. In some example embodiments, theclient computer system that lost the lock may be able to reconnect andsave unsaved edits. In particular, if the client computer system 102reconnects with the server computer system 108 and no other clientcomputer system 102 has locked the content 114 during the time whencommunication was lost, the application module 104 thereon may able tore-obtain the lock for the content 114. After the release command istransmitted, the method 500 is complete.

Additional operations, according to some example embodiments, of theapplication module 104 at the client computer system 102 are nowdescribed. In particular, these operations are from the perspective ofthe application module 104 that is being used by one user that is lockedfrom edit access because another user is editing the content 114. Thus,FIG. 6 is a diagram of a method for limiting edit access of content byone user because another user currently has made unsaved edits to thecontent 114, according to some example embodiments. A method 600 isdescribed with reference to FIG. 1. In some example embodiments, themethod 600 is performed by the application module 104. The method 600commences at block 602.

At block 602, the application module 104 presents content 114 to one ormore users that have edit access to the content 114. In some exampleembodiments, the application module 104 may present particular content114 (e.g., an electronic document) to a user after the user selects thecontent 114 for editing. The application module 104 may request andreceive the content 114 from the control module 110 on the servercomputer system 108. The application module 104 may present the content114 to the user using some type of display (see. FIG. 3 describe above).The method 600 continues at block 604.

At block 604, the application module 104 receives a lock command fromthe server computer system 108. The lock command provides notificationthat the content 114 is currently locked from edit access because adifferent user has made edits to the content 114 that are not saved. Themethod 600 continues at block 606.

At block 606, the application module 104 locks the content 114 toprevent edit access by one or more users. Accordingly, these users arenot allowed to edit the content 114 until the lock is released by savingthe edits at the server computer system 108 (as described above).

In some example embodiments, a pop-up message is displayed to the userregarding their inability to edit. To illustrate, FIG. 7 shows ascreenshot of locked content 114 during an attempt to edit the content114 by one user out of multiple users having edit access, according tosome example embodiments. Similar to the screenshots 300 and 400 ofFIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, the screenshot 700 illustrates a wordprocessing application 702 wherein an electronic document 704 is beingedited. The screenshot 700 illustrates the view after one of the usersattempts to edit the electronic document 704 that is currently lockedbecause of unsaved edits entered by a different user. An error message710 is displayed in response to the attempt to edit. The error message710 provides notification and informs the user that they may addcomments regarding the electronic document. However, the user is notallowed to edit the electronic document 704. At the bottom of thescreenshot 700, a list of users is shown that have access to theelectronic document 704. The user identification 706 is similar to theuser identification 406 of FIG. 4. The user identification 708 issimilar to the user identification 408 of FIG. 7. In some exampleembodiments, the error message 710 may also notify the user thatcomments may be added to the electronic content (even though editingcannot occur). In some example embodiments, comments comprise any typeof data that is added to the electronic content but does not edit theelectronic content, Such data is generally displayed along side theelectronic content. For example, a reviewer of the electronic contentmay provide commentary regarding the electronic content. Such commentsmay be shown in a comment window on a side of the electronic content.Adding comments to the electronic content is further described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/119,249 filed on May 12, 2008 and titled“Document Comment Management” to Robert Shaver; the disclosure of whichis incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Accordingly, theuser may input comments that are added to the electronic content (eventhough the user may not edit the electronic content). Returning to themethod 600 of FIG. 6, the method 600 continues at block 608.

At block 608, the application module 104 receives a release command toenable edit access of the content 114 by another user. This releasecommand may be received from the control module 110 at the servercomputer system 108. In some example embodiments, this release is aresult of the unsaved edits made by a different user on a differentclient computer system 102 being saved at the server computer system 108(as described above). Also, as a result, the application module 104releases the lock that is precluding edit access of the content 114. Insome example embodiments, an attempt to edit the electronic content bythe user may cause or attempt to cause a release of the lock that isprecluding edit access of the electronic content (that has been lockedby the other user). To illustrate, assume that the electronic content iscurrently locked because the other user has made unsaved edits to theelectronic content. If this user attempts to edit the electroniccontent, a communication may be transmitted to the server computersystem 108, the server computer system 108 may determine if a timeperiod has expired since there has been activity by the other userwithin the electronic document. For example, the server computer system108 may query the client computer system 102 being used by the otheruser (that has caused the locking) The query may request the last timethat the other user performed any activity in the electronic content(e.g., editing, movement of cursor, etc.). If a time period has expired,the server computer system 108 may release the lock. In some exampleembodiments, the server computer system 108 may save any unsaved editsto the electronic content prior to the release. Moreover, the servercomputer system 108 may notify the other user of the release. At thispoint, the method 600 may be complete.

While the communications regarding the locking and releasing of editaccess to content 114 may be routed through a server computer system108, in some example embodiments, some or all such communications mayalso be routed among the client computer systems (independent of theserver computer system 108). For example, a lock command initiated dueto the existence of unsaved edits at one client computer system may betransmitted to other applicable client computer systems. Alternativelyor in addition, while the content 114 is described as being stored atthe server computer system 108, in some example embodiments, the content114 may be stored at the client computer systems in a peer-to-peerconfiguration. Accordingly, after an edit is saved, the saved content114 is distributed to the different client computer systems. In someexample embodiments, this storage of data in the client computer systemsmay be in addition to or independent of storage of such content 114 atthe server computer system 108.

A detailed block diagram of an example computer environment, accordingto some embodiments, is now described. In particular, FIG. 8 illustratesa computer that may be used for content editing and controlling contentediting in a collaborative environment, according to some exampleembodiments. A computer system 800 may be similar to or identical to oneof the client computer systems 102, the server computer system 108, etc.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the computer system 800 comprises processor(s)802. The computer system 800 also includes a memory unit 830, processorbus 822, and Input/Output controller hub (ICH) 824. The processor(s)802, memory unit 830, and ICH 824 are coupled to the processor bus 822.The processor(s) 802 may comprise any suitable processor architecture.The computer system 800 may comprise one, two, three, or moreprocessors, any of which may execute a set of instructions to implementthe various method embodiments of the invention.

The memory unit 830 may store data and/or instructions, and may compriseany suitable memory, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Thecomputer system 800 also includes IDE drive(s) 808 and/or other suitablestorage devices. A graphics controller 804 controls the display ofinformation on a display device 806, according to some embodiments ofthe invention.

The input/output controller hub (ICH) 824 provides an interface to I/Odevices or peripheral components for the computer system 800. The ICH824 may comprise any suitable interface controller to provide for anysuitable communication link to the processor(s) 802, memory unit 830and/or to any suitable device or component in communication with the ICH824. For one embodiment of the invention, the ICH 824 provides suitablearbitration and buffering for each interface.

For some embodiments of the invention, the ICH 824 provides an interfaceto one or more suitable integrated drive electronics (IDE) drives 808,such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or compact disc read only memory (CDROM) drive, or to suitable universal serial bus (USB) devices throughone or more USB ports 810. For one embodiment, the ICH 824 also providesan interface to a keyboard 812, a mouse 814, a CD-ROM drive 818, one ormore suitable devices through one or more FireWire® ports 816. For oneembodiment of the invention, the ICH 824 also provides a networkinterface 820 though which the computer system 800 can communicate withother computers and/or devices.

In some embodiments, the computer system 800 includes a machine-readablemedium that stores a set of instructions (e.g., software) embodying anyone, or all, of the methodologies for described herein, Furthermore,software may reside, completely or at least partially, within memoryunit 830 and/or within the processor(s) 802.

In the description, numerous specific details such as logicimplementations, opcodes, means to specify operands, resourcepartitioning/sharing/duplication implementations, types andinterrelationships of system components, and logicpartitioning/integration choices are set forth in order to provide amorethorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated,however, by one skilled in the art that embodiments of the invention maybe practiced without such specific details. In other instances, controlstructures, gate level circuits and full software instruction sequenceshave not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the embodiments ofthe invention, Those of ordinary skill in the art, with the includeddescriptions will be able to implement appropriate functionality withoutundue experimentation.

References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”,“an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment describedmay include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, butevery embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature,structure, or characteristic, Moreover, such phrases are not necessarilyreferring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature,structure, or characteristic is described in connection with anembodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of oneskilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristicin connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitlydescribed.

Embodiments of the invention include features, methods or processes thatmay be embodied within machine-executable instructions provided by amachine-readable medium. A machine-readable medium includes anymechanism which provides (i.e., stores and/or transmits) information ina form accessible by a machine (e.g., a computer, a network device, apersonal digital assistant, manufacturing tool, any device with a set ofone or more processors, etc.). In example embodiments, amachine-readable medium includes volatile and/or non-volatile media(e.g., read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic diskstorage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.).

Such instructions are utilized to cause a general or special purposeprocessor, programmed with the instructions, to perform methods orprocesses of the embodiments of the invention. Alternatively, thefeatures or operations of embodiments of the invention are performed byspecific hardware components which contain hard-wired logic forperforming the operations, or by any combination of programmed dataprocessing components and specific hardware components. Embodiments ofthe invention include software, data processing hardware, dataprocessing system-implemented methods, and various processingoperations, further described herein.

In view of the wide variety of permutations to the embodiments describedherein, this detailed description is intended to be illustrative only,and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. What isclaimed as the invention, therefore, is all such modifications as maycome within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalentsthereto, Therefore, the specification and drawings are to be regarded inan illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: providing an electronicdocument to a device of a user of a plurality of users that have editaccess to the electronic document as part of a collaborative editing ofthe electronic document; receiving a lock command from the device of theuser to prevent edit access by other users of the plurality of usersthat have edit access to the electronic document; and transmitting,using a hardware processor, the lock command to devices of the otherusers of the plurality of users.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: saving content received from the device of the user; sendinga save confirmation to the device of the user based on the saving; andreceiving a release command from the device of the user in response tothe sending of the confirmation that releases a lock that is based onthe lock command.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprisingtransmitting a release command to the devices of the other users of theplurality of users that releases a lock that is based on the lockcommand.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an inputfrom the device of the user to edit the electronic document, the inputtriggering the lock command to be generated at the device of the user.5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the other users toadd a comment to the electronic document despite the lock to preventedit access by the other users.
 6. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising releasing the lock in response to a different user attemptingto edit the electronic document and a time period having expired sincethere has been activity by the user to the electronic document.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising providing a graphical userinterface, the graphic user interface providing a list of the otherusers and an access status for each of the other users currentlyaccessing the electronic document.
 8. A method comprising: providing anelectronic document to a device of a user of a plurality of users thathave edit access to the electronic document as part of a collaborativeediting of the electronic document; invoking, using a hardwareprocessor, a lock to prevent edit access by other users of the multipleusers of the electronic document in response to the receiving of aninput from the device of the user to edit the electronic document thatprevents edit access by other users of the plurality of users that haveedit access to the electronic document; sending a save confirmation tothe device of the user based on saving content provided by the device;and receiving a release from the device of the user in response to thedevice receiving the save confirmation that releases the lock.
 9. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising transmitting a release command todevices of the other users of the plurality of users based on thereceiving of the release from the device of the user.
 10. The method ofclaim 8, further comprising receiving the input from the device of theuser to edit the electronic document, the input triggering the lockcommand to be generated at the device of the user.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising receiving the lock command from the deviceof the user to prevent edit access by the other users.
 12. The method ofclaim 8, further comprising allowing the other users to add a comment tothe electronic document despite the lock to prevent edit access by theother users.
 13. The method of claim 8, further comprising releasing thelock in response to a different user attempting to edit the electronicdocument and a time period having expired since there has been activityby the user to the electronic document.
 14. The method of claim 8,further comprising providing a graphical user interface, the graphicuser interface providing a list of the other users and an access statusfor each of the other users currently accessing the electronic document.15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium includinginstructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine toperform operations comprising: providing an electronic document to adevice of a user of a plurality of users that have edit access to theelectronic document as part of a collaborative editing of the electronicdocument; receiving a lock command from the device of the user toprevent edit access by other users of the plurality of users that haveedit access to the electronic document; and transmitting the lockcommand to devices of the other users of the plurality of users.
 16. Thenon-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein theoperations further comprise: saving content received from the device ofthe user; sending a save confirmation to the device of the user based onthe saving; receiving a release command from the device of the user inresponse to the sending of the confirmation that releases a lock that isbased on the lock command; and transmitting a release command to thedevices of the other users of the plurality of users.
 17. Thenon-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein theoperations further comprise allowing the other users to add a comment tothe electronic document despite the lock to prevent edit access by theother users.
 18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium ofclaim 15, wherein the operations further comprise releasing the lock inresponse to a different user attempting to edit the electronic documentand a time period having expired since there has been activity by theuser to the electronic document.
 19. A server comprising: anon-transitory machine-readable medium to store an electronic documentthat is edit accessible by a plurality of users from client devicescommunicatively coupled to the server; and a control module to providethe electronic document for presentation to a user of the plurality ofusers that have edit access to the electronic document as part of acollaborative editing of the electronic document, to invoke a lock toprevent edit access by other users of the multiple users of theelectronic document in response to the receiving of an input from thedevice of the user to edit the electronic document that prevents editaccess by other users of the plurality of users that have edit access tothe electronic document, to send a save confirmation to the device ofthe user based on saving content provided by the device; and to receivea release from the device of the user in response to the devicereceiving the save confirmation.
 20. The server of claim 19, wherein thecontrol module further comprises transmitting a release command todevices of the other users of the plurality of user based on thereceived release from the device of the user.